The Wal-mart Foundation recently provided the NC Museum of Natural Sciences with $50,000 to support environmental education programs at Prairie Ridge, the Museum’s 40-acre outdoor education center located off Reedy Creek Road in west Raleigh.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences today introduced Margaret D. “Meg” Lowman as Director of their new wing, the Nature Research Center. For 30 years, Lowman has helped pioneer the science of canopy ecology, designing hot-air balloons and walkways for treetop exploration while studying the links between insects and ecosystem health. In her new role, Lowman will oversee the new wing’s research agenda, participate in fundraising efforts and assist with the integration of existing Museum programs.

From fireflies to vampire squid, bioluminescent creatures have piqued human imagination with their ghostly glow for centuries. After decades of investigation, scientists have uncovered the mechanisms underlying bioluminescence. Get an introduction to bioluminescence and discover its value to biomedical research when Jonathan Horowitz, associate professor of oncology at the N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine, presents “Bioluminescence: Natural Wonders and Tools for Scientific Discovery,” at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Monday, July 19 at 7 pm.

In the drive to develop an invisible army, a crazed ex-Major and a scientist under duress must first corral an unusual and unpredictable army of one. Don’t miss “The Amazing Transparent Man” (1960), showing at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Friday, June 4 at 7 pm.